KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 14 March) – South Cotabato province has exceeded the epidemic threshold for dengue fever, logging an average of 100 cases per week since January. Eldon Hans Serame, health education promotions officer of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), reported that dengue cases have surged at an “alarming” rate, reaching 917 cases with one related death as of March 1—a 23 percent increase compared to the 745 cases recorded in the same period last year. Tantangan town saw the highest spike at 113 percent, followed by Sto. Nino at 106 percent and Polomolok at 85 percent. Koronadal City recorded the most cases with 255, a 78 percent rise from last year. Serame emphasized that the province has surpassed the epidemic threshold in the past six to seven weeks, with 15 barangays across the area identified as dengue hotspots. He urged public cooperation in implementing the 4S strategy: search and destroy mosquito breeding sites, self-protection measures, early consultation, and support for spraying or fogging. The provincial government has adopted the DOH’s “Alas Kwatro, Kontra Mosquito!” campaign to clean up mosquito breeding areas weekly. Serame aims to reduce dengue cases from epidemic to alert threshold by the end of March. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
